Bites of My Life

Yesterday evening after finishing up Sunday dinner at my parents, I had such a feel good moment come over me. I blasted Van Morrison, put the sunroof down, and took the extra long way back to my house as I watched the sun set. It truly feels like summer now. The mornings and evenings are warm and sunny. The days seem longer and summer food/activities/vibes are all streaming in. Gosh summer is good. I wrote a few times about my winter slump. I love me some cold weather, but there is nothing like the arrival of summer to lift your spirits. Summer spirits for the win!

-Has anyone tried Rocksbox? I've been doing it for the past month and I'm loving it! Read more about it here, and use my code annietuckerxoxo to get your first box free (normally a $19 value).
-My week usually always starts green as a way to recuperate from the weekend. Mornings are even more fun with my new nutri ninja I was gifted for my birthday! Kicks my 7 year old magic bullet's butt.
-On a podcast grind. Here are my faves, what are yours?
-Dinner this week looked like this: turkey meatballs with zucchini noodles and ramp pesto that mom and dad made.
-A massive London Fog and a change of scenery helped get through a rainy Wednesday. 
-Spent my Thursday evening getting schooled in hand lettering. I've been doodling ever since.
-#NationalDonutDay.
-My roommate is an engaged lady! 
-So so special having all my best friends in town to celebrate our Mads girl's engagement! We even got our Londoner to jump the pond for the weekend! 
-Successfully finished The Hills all the way through for about the 10th time. 
-Give me all the navy home decor. Dreaming of the day I have a pocket book that can afford this style.
-Looks like/tastes like summer! Peach cobbler and homemade vanilla bean ice cream.

Annie

My Current Obsession: Podcasts

Are you a podcast listener? I used to think it was so grandma to listen to a podcast, it seemed so book-on-tape. My thoughts have changed and I recently jumped on the podcast bandwagon. I was a serious Serial listener when it first came out, but had never really gotten into podcasts besides then. When Molly and I met up a few months ago she mentioned how she would be passing the time of her leg of the trip by listening to podcasts. I had a Spotify playlist loaded up, but podcasts? Hmmm. Being inspired by anything Molly does, I researched top podcasts and got my iPhone ready to go for my road trip.

Podcasts are still a little book-on-tapish, but far more intriguing. Since working again, music hasn't been fueling me. I need something more motivating. I love listening to them during my commute, while at work, and I especially love them while going on walks. It's crazy how they can help pass the time.

Podcasts I'm currently listening to...

Blissful Bites Podcast - In this podcast Nicole Culver of Blissful Eats interviews food entrepreneurs and female bloggers. I'm so inspired by the startup stories from people such as Jessica Merchant of How Sweet Eats and Samantha of Emmy's Organics!

The Edible Happy Hour - This is a local podcast just started by some of my favorite foodies. It is a roundtable discussion about food, drinks and local fare. 

Mystery Show - In this lighthearted podcast, Starlee Kine solves funny but curious mysteries. I won't giveaway much so we can keep it a mystery, but trust me, it's just a fun one!

Bon Appétit Podcast- Commentated by Andrew Rapoport, the editor-in-chief of Bon Appétit, this podcast interviews, chefs, foodies, and writers alike. They have guests such as Ina Garten, Bobby Flay and David Chang. 100% obsessed.

Podcasts I'm excited to listen to...

Being Boss - For creatives and entrepreneurs. One of the hosts, Kathleen, is a local okie!

Lady Lovin' - Co-hosted by my Laguna Beach favorite Lo Bosworth, she joins besties Jilly Hendrix and Greta Titleman to talk about the basic realness of life. 

Burnt Toast by Food52 - For those who never stop wondering about food.

Lady Gang - A celebrity driven podcast that is supposed to be a hilarious telling of what it is like to live in Hollywood. 

Any other podcasts favorites I should know about?

Annie

Bites of My Life

So many great moments over the last week. There was the big monumental thing, like turning 23, but my favorite moments from the past few days are all "little things." Small simple pleasures such as the getting to fill my house Monday night to welcome the return of The Bachelorette, having my first s'more of the season, giving my house a good deep clean (it really is the little things), finding my fitbit after it's two month hiatus, and being gifted the most thoughtful cookies decorated to look like some of my favorite things!

I spent my Memorial Day weekend getting in a few birthday celebrations, spending a couple days at the lake with friends and family, stuffing my face with two many chips and crackers and handfuls of snack mix to even count, a swell little dinner with mom and dad, taking a swing at my golf game and some more Monday night Bachelorette (Thunder games need not be mentioned).

-My green tea latte obsession is getting extreme, yet I have no problem with it whatsoever.
-The Bachelorette is back and we are more than ready. Brackets and boy board in tow. 
-Wine down Wednesday.
-Hushpuppies and seafood to celebrate 23.
-Kathleen tried to tell me the cake she made me turned out ugly...I'm still trying to figure that one out too. 
-It was even better on the inside-lavender and blueberry with buttercream!
-A special birthday lunch with my girl Lindz at one of my favorite spots!
-The mix got gobbled up in less than 12 hours at the lake. Catch the recipe from last week's post.
-If only our pregame juju helped the Thunder win Saturday night.
-Doing our best to make it to the lake as many times possible this summer.
-Complete amateurs, but at least we're trying!
-The sweetest and tastiest final birthday surprise! Gingersnaps kills the cookie game! 

Annie

The Mix

I apologize in advance. This snack mix is highly addicting. So addicting that I had to go brush my teeth in the middle of making it so I would stop eating it all. At the same time I kind of want to say you're welcome, because it's so good. 

My sorority chapter advisor used to make us a similar mix when we would have long chapter meetings or during rush week. I had her send me the recipe forever ago and I've been making my version ever since. I would make it as a study snack, party food and it's also great for a road trip treat. I bring you this mix just in time for Memorial Day. Perfect to bring to barbecues or to shovel down while stuck in a cabin at the lake!

No boring chex or weird breadstick things in this mix. The wheat thins and oatmeal squares are my favorite! Feel free to swap out or add any ingredients. Cheez-its are a great addition, I also think popcorn or cheerios would be good. The mix requires no baking either. Once you pour on the seasoning it's ready to eat!

The Mix
yields a lot

Ingredients:
1 box wheat thins
1 box Quaker Oatmeal Squares Cereal
1 bag pretzels
1 bag Bugels
1 bag oyster crackers

Seasoning:
1 pkg. dry Ranch Dressing seasoning packet
1 cup vegetable oil

Directions:
Pour the bags and boxes of mix ingredients into a large paper grocery bag, roll down the top to seal the bag and shake to combine (I use two bags, double-lined so the oil doesn’t seap out of the bags). Whisk the ranch packet and oil ingredients together in a small bowl or shake together in a mason jar. Pour over dry mix. Close up paper bag again and shake shake shake! Store in an airtight tupperware or large plastic bag.

Note: this is easy to half! I typically make a 1/2 batch at a time and keep the remaining ingredients to make a second batch soon after!

I have a huge bowlful packed and ready to head to the lake with me this weekend. That is if I can refrain from eating it all before we leave...

Annie

Bites of My Life

I'm not a birthday brat, but it's birthday week!! Ok, maybe I am...This Friday is my 23rd birthday. Despite a year older, 23 sounds so young to me. Nothing cool happens when you are 23, that I know of. It's that sandwich age between 21 and 25, where you sort of just feel like an awkward 20 something still trying to figure ish out and get people to take you seriously in the real world. This is all relative though. I'm not complaining. I'd rather turn 23 year after year than slip into my 40s.

With a fun week ahead, I love looking back at last week. A pretty simple work week, but a productive one at that. Got my stuff done to head to Dallas for the weekend for golf, friends and too much fun! Nothing beats a great weekend high! I don't even have the Sunday scaries it was so good!

-Polenta huevos rancheros is my go-to when I have no food in the house. Sprucing up the recipe so I can post it soon!
-Pocky and RHONY make for an ulti night plopped on the couch!
-Made the bold statement last week that granola is my favorite food when I posted my basic granola recipe. Not coming down on that statement. 
-Seriously so stinking fun to see people trying my perfect CCC recipe!! My favorite gals from Vim+Vigor killed it with their cookies.
-I came to Dallas bearing banana bread as a way to say thank you to my favorite host!
-Any right trip down I-35 deserves a stop at Robertson's for roadie ham sammies!
-Only slightly Spieth obsessed. Thankful the Bryon Nelson fed my obsession.
-Free Spieth bobbleheads? I'd take 10 if I could. 
-Can't golf to save our lives, but we are great at drinking beer and making heart eyes at Jordan.
-Breakfast at EatZi's. Not pictured-our breakfast here from the day before. We couldn't stay away!
-Happiest human when I get the chance to go to Trader Joe's. Loaded up before exiting Dallas.
-Started my weekend detox Sunday night with a version of Georgie's Green Goodness Salad, threw a fried egg on it for good measure! 

Annie